Gabriella Montez Hates Dogs
by xxyou're the music in mexx
Summary: When Troy pops the question during sex, Gabriella makes sure he understands she's disgusted at the way he's asked her. To make up for it he buys her a dog she doesnt want. Will it get in the way of the big question? Will it be a case of me or the dog? TxG
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**Hey you guys! This is just a short story...three or four chapters while I'm stuck with my others. Just to keep my creative juices flowing! So this is 'Gabriella Montez Hates Dogs'. I'm not gonna say anything else, you've read the summary so...just give it a chance and let me know what you think! Gracias! xx**

"How could you do that? That was so disrespectful! I can't believe it, how dare you!" Gabriella shouted, storming out of the bedroom at high speed wrapped in the bed sheet.

Troy stumbled after her, pulling his boxers on.

"How could you be so inconsiderate? Do you have no respect at all?" she continued to yell, making her way through the house and towards the kitchen.

"Babe, I'm sorry. It just...came out" he protested, following her.

"It just came out? How could it just come out Troy?"

"I don't know! It just did!"

"You're supposed to think about these things, plan to the utmost detail. That's how it's supposed to be!" she snapped, grabbing a water bottle.

"I thought it was what you wanted!" he said back, moving closer.

"That's not the point! You're not supposed to just because you think it's what I want! You're supposed to want it too!"

"But it is what you want...isn't it?" he questioned, standing directly in front of her.

"Yes...no...I don't know!" she cried, gesturing her arms and throwing water everywhere.

"You've been dropping hints for weeks! I'm not stupid!" he told her.

"Well you obviously are if you think that's how I want to be treated!" she retorted, pushing past him.

"Gabs...baby! Come on!" he pleaded, rushing after her.

"No Troy! I've had it! This isn't how it's meant to happen!" she shouted, locking the bedroom door behind her.

"Honey...let me in. Please Gabs...let me explain" he asked, banging on the door.

The door flung open to reveal a hurriedly dressed Gabriella, anger flashing in her eyes. She stomped past him and down the stairs, yelling behind her,

"I think it's pretty obvious you can't explain. Don't wait up for me, I might not be home"

"Gabi, it was just a crazy little thought I said out loud. It didn't mean anything!" he insisted.

"Oh so now you didn't mean it? This just gets better and better Troy!" she cried, grabbing her heels.

"That's not what I meant!"

"My boyfriend asks me to marry him half way through having sex and then after says he didn't mean to say it out loud and it didn't mean anything! I feel so privileged!" she screamed, flinging her car keys in her bag and opening the door.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this! Gabriella! Where are you going? Gabs!" he shouted, standing in the doorway.

"I don't know. Sharpay's, Taylor's...anywhere. Away from you!" she barked, starting the car and backing out of the drive.

"GABRIELLA!" Troy yelled after her, chasing the car down the street.

It was no use, she was driving too fast, plus he was dressed only in his boxers.

Sheepishly making his way back up the drive way and out of sight of the neighbours, he shut the door behind him.

Was he ready for marriage? That was the question. He didn't know. He didn't know anything...judging by the way the girl he loved most in the world had blew up in his face. _Why did I have to blurt it out in the middle of sex?_ _I'm so stupid!_

Troy sighed and walked back up to the bedroom, pulling some clothes on.

"I need some help" he muttered, grabbing the phone.

"What's he actually done?" Sharpay asked, as she put the tray of carefully selected biscuits on the coffee table.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought he was the perfect guy? He seemed it anyway" Taylor commented, grabbing one.

Sharpay tutted at Taylor's impulsiveness and handed her a plate.

"He proposed to me..." she began.

The two other girls squealed but before they could make their way over to hug her, she added,

"During sex!"

"Woah" Sharpay said immediately, backing up.

"He did what?!" Taylor exclaimed.

"Proposed! During sex! And when I told him that's not how it's supposed to be he said he didn't mean to say it and it didn't mean anything!" Gabriella continued.

"Oh my god! What was he thinking?" Sharpay said, spreading a napkin out on her cream trousers.

"He wasn't! Clearly!" Gabriella told them, taking her drink.

"You are quite hard to please though" Taylor commented, taking another biscuit, much to the annoyance of Sharpay. They were her favorite.

"Meaning what exactly?" Gabriella demanded.

"Meaning maybe he was so stressed about asking you that it popped out..." Taylor trailed off.

"I think what Tay means" Sharpay cut in, before Gabriella could snap a response, "is that perhaps Troy was so worried about everything being perfect for you...that he said it at the wrong time, like he said, he didn't mean it...not he didn't mean it at all but just at that time..."

"That makes sense" Taylor said, nodding.

"Guys! That's not the point! You of all people should know! If you're husbands proposed during sex...you wouldn't say yes would you!"

Neither girl answered, instead suddenly found their biscuit or the floor extremely interesting.

"I can't believe this. Sharpay! Zeke flew you all the way to Paris, booked you in for a wonderful day at an exclusive spa, paid for you to have a personal shopper to buy you a beyond expensive designer gown, took you to the best seats at the opera, got them to cordon off the top of the Eiffel Tower for an hour, offered you a rock the size of your fist and proposed at midnight when it lit up! You seriously think that compares?!"

Sharpay shook her head and gazed at her engagement ring.

"Mine wasn't that special..." Taylor muttered.

"No...granted it wasn't as classy, but it was just as amazing! It was Chad for crying out loud! Even he managed to be romantic. He took you to the park, strung fairy lights all over the trees, lit candles everywhere, sprinkled rose petals all over the grass and got down on one knee! That's what I want! I want all that! Not some crappy after thought!" she told her.

"You're right, and you should have all that!" Sharpay encouraged.

The door opened and Zeke stepped in, smiling at them all.

"Hi honey" Sharpay said, getting up and walking over to him.

"Hi baby, hi girls." He said, grinning at them both.

Taylor smiled in response but Gabriella just sank back into the cushions.

"Shar...can I speak to you for a sec?" Zeke asked hesitantly.

"Zeke! Now really isn't a good time...we're having a girly chat...I'll speak to you later" she dismissed.

"Sharpay! Now!" Zeke demanded.

Gabriella's eyes shot open at that and she shared a confused look with Taylor. Sharpay seemed to share their confusion as she followed him out.

"What was that all about?" Taylor whispered.

"I don't know...do you think something's wrong?"

Taylor shrugged as Sharpay walked back in, followed by Zeke.

"Right girls, lovely to see you both, as always but I'm off."

"Bye" they chorused as he kissed Sharpay on the cheek.

They waited until they heard the front door shut and the two girls turned on their best friend.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, everything's fine" Sharpay assured them both.

A short burst of silence ensued and she couldn't take it any longer.

"Troy's going to propose" she blurted out.

"He already has...kind of" Gabriella answered, inspecting her nails.

"No! He's called all the guys round to help give him an idea...that's where Zeke's gone. Only I wasn't supposed to tell you. He wants to do it properly, no messing around" the blonde stated.

"Are you for real?" Taylor questioned, a big grin on her face.

"What exactly...did Zeke say?" Gabriella questioned slowly.

"He said Troy had rang Chad saying he was in a crisis and really needed help so Chad rounded them up and they're all off to yours"

"There was nothing in there that means he's going to propose! Again! He's probably just looking for a way out of trouble."

"Oh" Sharpay said dejectedly, sitting back.

"Unless..." Taylor began.

"Unless what?" Gabriella asked, looking at her.

"Unless Zeke told you that deliberately Shar, because he knew you'd spill the beans. Maybe Troy is going to propose..."

"Even if he did I wouldn't accept" Gabriella told them.

"Why?"

"Are you crazy?"

Gabriella looked at each of them in turn before saying,

"You guys! I'm not crazy! This whole thing has put everything into perspective for me. Maybe I don't want to marry at the moment. Maybe I don't want marriage at all. Maybe...maybe I don't want him..." she trailed off.

Sharpay leapt up off her seat and pulled Gabriella up onto her feet.

"Now you really are crazy! Gabriella Montez! For months you have been moaning to us about how Troy won't propose, how you'll be a spinster all your life and your children will be illegitimate. You love Troy...with all you heart! I know because I used to love him too! You know that, he knows that...hell, everyone knows that...but you got him. _You_ got him, he loves _you_, he wants to start a life with _you, _he wants kids with you, he wants to grow old with you. If a man doesn't care that he's gonna see you get saggy boobs and wrinkles and frown lines then you damn well make sure you keep a hold of him...you got that?!" she shouted.

"Uh...yeah...Sharpay?"

"What?!" she snapped.

"You can let go of my arm now...thanks...please?"

"Say you love Troy"

"I love Troy"

"That was pathetic...say it again"

"I love Troy"

"For fucks sake say it with meaning! Say it with passion! Say it with such a force that the whole world knows he's yours!"

"I FUCKING WELL LOVE TROY ALEXANDER BOLTON AND I ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL!" Gabriella screamed at the top of her voice.

Sharpay smiled,

"Then what are you waiting for...go tell him that"

Gabriella smiled and hugged her..."Thanks Shar, bye Tay...I got a man to catch!!" she said, running out.

"Wow...impressive" Taylor commented.

"Just doing my job" Sharpay replied.

Taylor leaned in to take another of the same biscuit and Sharpay smacked her hand away before cramming the last one in her own perfectly made up mouth.

"Don't push it" she mumbled.

Gabriella turned her key in the lock and slowly walked through the house.

"Troy?" she called.

"Baby?" Troy asked, nearly tripping over his own feet to get out of the door.

"Yeah, it's me"

"You're back? You've come back? You're not leaving?" he questioned.

The innocent look on his face and the child-like way he asked her made her want to cry, he was so cute, bless him, how could she not love him?

"Of course I am...you didn't think I was leaving you did you?" she questioned, dropping her bag.

"Kind of...I was really worried, I even tidied up the cellar! In case...you know...in case you did decide to give me another chance..." he mumbled.

Gabriella's heart lurched, she'd been asking him forever to clean out the cellar, it was full of a load of junk that they never got round to either using or throwing away.

"C'mere" she said, opening her arms.

Troy walked into them like a child walks into his mother's arms and Gabriella kissed his shoulder.

"It was never a case of leaving you...I just got caught up in the heat of things...I would never leave you baby"

"But...I...you said..."

"It doesn't matter what I said...I'm here, you're here...that's all that matters"

"I love you" he told her, kissing her nose.

"I love you too"

"I got you a surprise..." he said, pulling away.

Gabriella's heart leapt...this was it...he was going to do it...properly.

"Where is it?" she asked.

"Outside...shall we go?"

Gabriella grinned and nodded, taking his arm.

He led her out through the dining room and then the kitchen...before opening the patio doors and letting her walk through.

Gabriella screamed as a big dog lunged at her from the grass. She dived out of the way and fell to the floor.

Getting up she noticed Troy look at her oddly, while rubbing the dog's tummy.

"What...is that?" she asked shakily pointing a finger.

"It's your surprise!" Troy exclaimed.

"It's a...dog" Gabriella stated.

"Yeah! It's to complete our little family! Now we have a baby!" Troy told her, rubbing the fur.

"That is not a dog. It's a freaking horse!" she shouted, backing up as it growled at her.

"Don't shout...you'll scare him" Troy whispered, pulling on its collar.

"I swear to God that is not a dog...that isn't even a house pet!" she spat, glaring at the animal.

"It's a St Bernard! Isn't he cute! I called him Denny! Oh and don't worry...he's perfectly trainable"

"Great" she muttered.

"I'll take him inside...you must be hungry" Troy cooed at the dog.

Gabriella returned what she was sure was a nasty look from the animal and snatched out her phone from her pocket.

"Sharpay? Are you still with Taylor?"

"Yeah honey, shall I put you on speaker-phone?"

"Yes, but I gotta be quick"

"Ok, you're on"

"Troy hasn't proposed, he's not even close to proposing"

"He will"

"No Tay...he won't. He's bought us a freaking dog...it's to complete the family"

"A dog?"

"Yeah...and Shar...I don't mean like Boi...I mean a full on Shetland Pony sized thing"

"Aww..Boi...I remember him! I loved that dog!"

"Sharpay! Back to the matter in hand!" Gabriella snapped worriedly.

"Yes, yes. Um...oh yeah, don't worry babe...Troy is probably just sweetening you up. Getting on your good side before he actually does it."

"You sure?" she asked uncertainly.

"Defo...now we have to go. Should we pop round later?"

"No, I think Troy and I have some...making up to do...you know what I mean?" she said, giggling.

"Ooh err, ok then. But don't forget coffee's tomorrow! 1 o'clock!"

"I got it, bye Shar! Bye Tay!"

"Bye Gabs!"

Gabriella turned round smiling only to see the dog watching her from inside. Her smile dropped and she groaned.

Making her way back inside the house she muttered...

"I hate dogs"


	2. Chapter 2

"Sharpay?" Gabriella whispered into the receiver.

"Jeez...Gabs, is that you? It's fucking two in the morning!" Sharpay groaned.

"I can't do it Shar! We didn't have make-up sex last night, we didn't even have a make-up make-out! All he can do is go freakin' goo-eyed over Denny!"

"Denny...who...who's Denny?" Sharpay asked groggily.

"The dog!" Gabriella wailed.

"Oh right, shit yeah...the dog. What were you saying?"

"I can't sleep in my own bed! Troy insists on letting the dog sleep on the bed, which means we're all pushed for space. I want my old life back! I want just me and my boyfriend...no-one else! Least of all some fucking horse-sized dog that growls at me every time I go near Troy!" she whined.

"Gabs...can't we talk about this at a more sociable hour? I don't wanna wake Zeke up...he's only just gone back to sleep...he's a lot more...active...if you get my meaning"

"Woah! Too much info Shar! Look, you told me he was going to propose! Why hasn't he?!"

"I don't know sweetie...maybe he's just...I don't know! I'm so tired...speak in the morning...love ya...mwah!"

"No...Sharpay...Sharpay! Damn it!" Gabriella spat, slamming her phone down on the marble sink.

She instantly regretted it and the sound it made.

Slowly, she creaked the door open and peered round, checking to see if either was awake.

She smirked and muttered,

"Stupid mutt"

The dog lifted its head and growled, causing Gabriella to yelp and jump back in the bathroom.

"This is stupid...I can't be scared of a dog. It's ridiculous" she whispered to herself.

She twisted the door handle and walked out with her head held high. She made eye contact with the animal, and raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah...you might think you've got it all now...but just wait and see. Troy's mine, not yours. He loves me more than you...everyone knows it, pretty soon...you'll be begging me to accept you into this family" she spat.

As if to respond, the dog climbed off the bed and raised his leg, soaking the white wall...on _her_ side of the bed.

"TROY!" Gabriella yelled, making him jump.

"What, what...what's wrong?" he asked sleepily.

"Your fucking dog is peeing on my wall!" She yelled.

"Oh jeez...Denny, you naughty boy. You know you only go outside!" he moaned, getting out and grabbing his collar, before dragging him out onto the balcony.

"Sorry babe, I'll go get some disinfectant" Troy mumbled, kissing her cheek.

The door shut and Gabriella smiled, happy at the dog being outside.

"Here's to you!" she said, raising her wine glass, "Don't say I didn't warn you"

She giggled, "Now I'm talking to a dog...I'm going insane..."

"Who you talking to sweetheart?" Troy asked, walking back in.

"Oh..um, no-one. Just mumbling to myself."

"First sign of madness" he told her, grinning.

"I love you...you know. More than you think" she blurted out.

Troy turned from rubbing the cloth on the wall and smiled.

"I love you too, more than you'll ever know"

There was a comfortable silence as Troy finished up and then he said,

"And Denny loves us too...more than we'll ever know"

Gabriella rolled her eyes at the ruined moment and glared out of the window at the dog.

"There" Troy declared, spraying some air freshener, "sorted, ugh...it's on my shirt...I'll just go freshen up"

Gabriella smiled and waited a moment, before following him into the bathroom.

"Hey" he said, looking at her in the mirror.

She didn't respond, instead she left butterfly kisses up his shoulder and onto his neck, before sucking it and leaving a mark.

Troy leant his head back and let out a sigh as she slipped her arms around his waist and down into his boxer shorts.

"I've missed this" he groaned, reaching his arm back and tangling his hand in her hair.

"We could make up for lost time" she whispered, pressing herself against him.

Troy reached down and took her hand out of his shorts. He turned around and lifted her up onto the sink before ramming his mouth onto hers.

She smiled against his lips and ran her fingers through his hair, moaning slightly into his mouth before smacking her hand on his backside. This only spurred Troy on, pulling her off the sink and slamming her into the full length mirror.

"You're a bit fierce tonight...aren't you?" she gasped as he attacked her neck and his hands roamed her body.

Troy didn't answer, only grunted in reply. He ripped the straps of her Victoria's Secret slip and pushed it down to her stomach. Gabriella didn't even care that he'd broken her favorite piece of nightwear, she was so caught up in the moment she didn't care about anything.

WOOF!

Gabriella's eyes snapped open. She hoped Troy hadn't heard it, but she was hoping in vain. The stupid dog was so loud she was surprised the deaf old lady upstairs hadn't banged on the floor.

BANG!

_There it is. _Gabriella thought, groaning as Troy pulled away.

"We just left him outside! Poor Denny, he must be freezing!" he exclaimed.

"I'll deal with Denny, you deal with Mrs Cain" he told her, running out.

Gabriella swore under her breath and pulled a bathrobe on, before grumbling all the way to Mrs Cain's apartment.

"Yes?" the old lady asked, putting her teeth in.

"Mrs Cain, I'm so sorry about waking you up at this time. My boyfriend...Troy, he just bought a dog as a present for me, we're not really up to date with how to look after one, he's learning on the job. I'm sorry he woke you up" she said, smiling sweetly.

"Shouldn't have pets anyway, dogs especially, disgusting creatures" she said disdainfully.

"I'm not too hot on them either" Gabriella admitted. "Perhaps I could get Troy to mow your part of the lawn for a week, or even sweep the driveway up to your garage?"

"Yes, my lawn and the driveway will be fine. I'm also partial to a nice bottle of sherry now and then..."

"You'll have it tomorrow" Gabriella promised. "Goodnight Mrs Cain"

"Goodnight Gabriella and keep that dumb dog inside!"

"I will!" she called up the stairs.

Making her way back into the apartment, Gabriella walked into the bedroom, not surprised that Troy was fast asleep with the dog lying across her side of the bed.

She didn't even smile at Troy, curled up and snuggled into his pillow. She just sighed, switched off the light, and went to sleep on the couch...

* * *

Gabriella was up and dressed at 7:30 the next morning. To enforce her reputation as one of L.A's best dressed women, she donned a tight black pencil skirt, a fluorescent yellow silk blouse open to just above her belly button, showing off her lacy black bra. Ok so it's not normally what you'd wear to go for coffees with your two best friends but it's what Gabriella did. When most people feel down, they pull on their old, comfy pajamas, watch re-runs of Friends and The O.C, and eat a tub of ice cream. Not Gabriella, she thought that was a way of making yourself feel _more_ down, sitting at home on your own with no distractions to keep you from thinking of the reasons why you're down is not what she needed. She preferred to dress nicely, put on some killer heels, get together with her girlies and enjoy being admired. It's just how she worked, she could forget all about being upset or feeling lonely.

Troy never noticed, he always thought it was for his benefit and assumed he'd be getting lucky that night, which of course he always did, because who was she to refuse? It always made her feel better anyway, she felt loved, and she always found herself thinking, when all she could hear was his snores, that she'd been stupid, that any person would feel happy when they had Troy as a boyfriend and she was just being a drama queen.

But that word always got stuck in her head...boyfriend...what if she wanted more? What if she wanted sweeping off her feet? What if she wanted to go through the arguments of him forgetting their anniversaries and then the make-up sex after? What if she wanted the ring on her finger, to prove to everyone she was taken, that she was somebody's, that she was in love and off the market. That she was a 'Mrs' and no longer a 'Miss'. What if she wanted party invitations addressed to '_The Boltons_'? That someone loved her so much he was willing to complete an act so romantic, so wonderful, to claim her as his own, to give her his heart in exchange for hers. What if she wanted to wake up every morning and smile and say "_Good morning my lovely husband_" and hear "_Good morning my lovely wife_". What if she wanted to have to tell friends, _"Oh I'm sorry, I'd love to but my husband's expecting me home"_ What if she wanted to get cards on her birthday saying, _"With love from your husband_". What if she wanted all that?

Shouldn't she be entitled to it? They'd been together for 11 years next winter, surely that counted for something? Surely falling in love at 16 and knowing he was _the one,_ granted her the opportunity to do what everyone assumed they'd do as soon as they graduated? Surely having watched her best friends marry one after the other gave her the right to be the bride and not the bridesmaid?

Surely, surely he wanted that? Surely after seeing his own best friends since pre-school, marry the women they love, spurred him on. Surely it made him think, _'Hey, I wanna try this whole marriage-malarkey. Let's do it'_ or '_I have a girlfriend that loves me to death, and I love her just as much and I want to make an honest woman out of her'. _Shouldn't it?

She didn't know, it was Troy after all...she used to be able to tell what he was thinking, but then after returning from a month's holiday in Thailand with Sharpay and Taylor, trying to convince Sharpay that marrying Zeke was the right choice and just because he had a drunken one night stand didn't mean everything had to end...she found she couldn't. He was unreadable. But she stuck with him, through everything. They had stayed together, moved in together, lived together, made love 

together...obviously, entertained friends together, gone to weddings together...how could that not mean marriage?

Gabriella knew some people just didn't marry, that they were happy just being together, but she wasn't that type of girl. She wanted to be Mrs Troy Bolton, not Miss Gabriella Montez. That's all she wanted.

* * *

Scribbling a note on the pad and sticking it on the fridge, Gabriella walked out of their apartment block and onto the driveway, pulling out and driving straight to the beach, just wanting to be alone for a while.

She sat there for hours, right up until it was time for coffees. Parking her car and taking a seat with her best friends, she groaned.

"You've got your 'feel good' clothes on" Sharpay commented.

"And your killer heels" Taylor added.

"And you're meeting us"

"You must be feeling down"

Gabriella nodded and told them everything, apologising to Sharpay for waking her when it came to it.

"Don't worry about it Gabs, I get woken all the time now, some stupid yapping creature won't shut up"

"It's probably fucking Denny the Demon" Gabriella huffed, "You know me and Troy were halfway through doing it until he barked and interrupted"

"Who barked and interrupted? Troy or the dog?" Taylor joked, sipping her latte.

"Very funny, but I'm serious guys, I hate dogs!"

"I guess it's a case of me or the dog" Sharpay told her, wiping the rim of her cappuccino.

"You know, there was a time when I knew Troy would pick me in an instant..." Gabriella told them, downing her espresso in one and ordering another.

"And now you think he'd choose the dog? But that's ridiculous!" Taylor exclaimed.

"I'm not so sure" Gabriella muttered, nibbling on her biscuit.

"Right...come on, we have some serious shopping to do if we're gonna resolve this problem" Sharpay said, "but first, shots for everyone, Gabi drink that one quick then have another, you'll probably need it"

Sharpay flagged the waiter and ordered three 'sputnicks' before paying the bill.

"What the hell is this?" Taylor demanded, eyeing the cup warily.

"It's a cup of coffee, with more shots of espresso than you'd care to know and a bit of red bull mixed in. It'll do us all good, now drink up, we're leaving" she answered.

Gabriella gagged as she drank it, "That's revolting"

"DRINK!" Sharpay snapped, clasping her purse.

The two girls did as they were told, despite wanting to spit it straight out, and followed the blonde through the doors.

"Right girls, we'll meet at the mall in 20 minutes exactly, outside Barney's, now go" Sharpay informed them.

Each girl climbed into the respective cars and drove off, meeting up again at the said place.

* * *

"I'm feeling kinda wired" Taylor said happily.

"Good, we all do" Sharpay told her, "but it won't have as much effect on us as normal people cuz we drink far too much coffee anyway"

"Where are we going?" Gabriella asked.

"To get you some lingerie so sexy that Troy will forget all about that dog in an instant and you'll be able to continue what you started last night"

"Let's do this" Taylor said, charging off.

"I think we may handle coffee a little better than she does" Sharpay commented.

* * *

_**With Troy**_

"GABRIELLA!" Troy shouted through the big apartment.

He stumbled upon the note and grimaced. It read:

_Troy,_

_Mrs Cain wants you to mow her part of the lawn, sweep the driveway to her garage and buy her a bottle of sherry. I'm going out for the day; I don't know when I'll be back, don't wait up._

_Gabriella_

She was never hazy with her times, she'd always tell him exactly when she was coming home and when dinner would be ready. She never signed her full name. She always put at least three kisses.

Something was wrong...

"Why can't I ever get anything right these days?" he moaned.

WOOF!

Troy grinned,

"I got you right, that's for sure. I got you right didn't I old pal?" he said, rubbing the dog's belly.

"Now...sherry, lawn, driveway and I love you present, what you got in mind?"

* * *

_**With Gabriella**_

"I don't know Shar, Troy always liked me in white" Gabriella said.

"Gabi, listen to me, wearing white is not gonna get Troy to jump on you. White is the angel color, it promotes pureness. Wear the red version and he'll pounce on you"

"You think? I always thought more was less"

"What? How does that work? More cannot be less, that's just stupid" Taylor added.

"Yeah, what she said, now this is your size, you're going to buy it, wear it, and do it...understand?" Sharpay told her.

"Understood" Gabriella said giggling, taking it to checkout.

* * *

_**With Troy**_

"Right, here she comes, are you ready?" Troy asked, "of course you are, you're a dog, you're always ready for anything"

"Troy! I have a surprise for you!" Gabriella called.

"In the kitchen!"

"You'll never gue-what is this?" she asked.

"I'm ready" Troy told her.

"What?"

"I'm ready, I'm ready for this. I want to raise a family with you. I'm ready"

Gabriella looked over his shoulder at the pile of pregnancy tests on the table and sighed.

"Troy, I don't want this. I don't want you to try and win me round by doing what you think I want"

"But, I really do, I want a baby"

"No you don't, that's what you think _I_ want, but it's not"

"You don't want a baby?" Troy questioned.

"No I do, I really do, but I want to do it properly. I want a proper house to raise it in, I want it to be legitimate, I want it to be christened. I want to do it the right way...like Sharpay, like Taylor." She told him.

"But when I asked you to marry me...you said you didn't want to!" Troy protested.

"Because it wasn't done properly! I want sweeping off my feet! Not some crappy afterthought proposal!" she shouted.

"So you do want to get married?"

"Yes!"

"So are we engaged now?" Troy asked, completely confused.

"No! Every girl dreams about being a bride and being wooed by their prince charming" she explained before getting angry, "NOT being proposed to during sex like their some kind of floozy!"

"You're not a floozy!" Troy protested.

"I know that! That's why I refused!" she snapped back at him.

"But the dog..."

"I hate dogs! I've always hated dogs! I hate next doors dog, I hate my cousin's dog, I hate Taylor's dog and I hate _that_ dog!" she shouted, pointing at Denny.

"You hate Denny? But I bought him for you!" Troy said, looking hurt.

"I don't care! I just don't like dogs Troy, I never have and I never will. I doubt he cares either, he hates me just as much as I hate him"

"No he doesn't! He loves you! You're his owner!"

"No! You're his owner! He loves you! That's how the saying goes!"

"What saying?"

"Dogs are a man's best friend; diamonds are a girl's best friend!"

"I can't afford a diamond ring Gabriella" Troy told her quietly.

"I know! I know we can't afford a rock like Sharpay's, or a platinum band like Taylor's. I know we chose to have a nice, big pad and two flashy cars and go without, but the thought would still have been nice! I wouldn't have cared if it had been out of a chocolate egg, it's the thought that counts!"

"So, you're saying, if I offered you a diamond ring and asked you to marry me during sex, you would have said no?"

"No. I mean yes! Yes, I would have said no. I don't want a flashy ring or the fancy cars or the big apartment or the freakin' dog. All I want is you and the promise that we'll be there for each other, in sickness and in health, till death do us part."

"What if I'm not ready for marriage? You keep going on about you being ready, what about me?" Troy quizzed.

"If you're not ready marriage Troy, you're not ready for me"

"So you're going to break up with me, just because I won't propose?"

"No, I'm going to break up with you because we seem to have drifted apart. We're not what we were, you're not who I thought you were" she responded softly, walking away into the bedroom and packing a bag.

"So-so you are breaking up with me?" Troy asked, hurt.

"Hey, I guess it's lucky you didn't propose in the end, at least we don't have to go through a divorce. We can just end it, quick and easy" she answered, folding her shirt in.

"Is that it? 11 years of dating and it's done..._quick and easy_"

"11 years of dating and you're still not ready to acknowledge me as your wife. If you can't now, you never will."

"So what? You're gonna have a fling and get engaged to someone after 6 months when you know that all we've been through together...everything we've done and promised...you ended?"

"No Troy. Everything _I_ promised. You haven't promised anything. You're the one forcing me to end it" she told him, opening the front door.

"I'm not forcing you to do anything! I'm not forcing you to leave!"

"You're not begging me to stay, either" she said quietly, before shutting her car door and driving away.

"I would" he whispered, "I would if I thought you'd listen"

**A/N**

**Ok, looong and saaad one. :D just to let you know, yes, this does end troyella, but I need ideas. Proposal ideas...anyone? Something really cute, or really cheesy, or really wacky or really funny or typical of Troy...anything. Help me! Only two more chappies to go. Probably one if they're as long as this one :D peace x**


	3. Chapter 3

Gabriella walked down the hall with Sharpay into the old apartment she used to share with Troy. It was the last day she'd be collecting her stuff, before the end. They were over. All her hopes and dreams for their future, gone.

"Gabs! Are you taking the Television?" Sharpay shouted from the living room.

Gabriella walked into the room and hesitated. Troy had chosen the T.V but she had paid for it. He used it to watch all the sports and things, she barely even watched it. But then again, it was a lot of money to just give away. But she loved Troy, _did_ love Troy. She couldn't take everything from him.

"No. Leave it here"

"Okay, I'll go do the kitchen, you do the bedroom"

Gabriella nodded and cleared her things out from the bedroom, she was just finishing off when she heard Sharpay shout again.

"What?"

"I think you should take a look at this"

Gabriella huffed and followed the noise.

"Shar, can't you just d-oh my god"

"I know" Sharpay whispered back.

On the wall in front of them were 5 giant posters, each carrying a word.

'Gabi...Will...You...Marry...Me?"

"So...this is what you wanted right?" Sharpay squealed.

Gabriella shook her head.

"No! This isn't what I wanted! I don't want proposing to just because he'll think I'm going to stay with him! He can't just stick a few words on a wall and think it will make everything better" she said, fighting back the tears.

"But they're not just a few words! They're the most precious words in the world!" Sharpay protested.

"Yeah, and sticking them on a kitchen wall doesn't do them justice okay? Let's just get out of here"

Sharpay obliged and carried the remaining boxes to the car. It was finally sinking in that her two best friends were never going to live happily ever after.

--

'So she rejected you?'

'That's what Zeke said. Sharpay told him Gabi had seen it, and she was like...he's only saying it to make me stay...they're on a kitchen wall...hardly romantic...that kind of thing'

'And all her stuff's gone?'

'Yep. Everything'

'Even the funky exercise ball?'

'Yes Chad, even the funky exercise ball'

'What about that big ass TV I was always so jealous about?'

'No, not the TV, she left that for some reason'

'She left the giant TV that she paid for?' Chad questioned down the phone.

'Yeah...why?'

'Exactly. Why did she leave it? You think she'd take it with her. If she really hated you, she'd have trashed your flat as well...'

'Well she hasn't, she's even tidied up a bit'

'There you go then! She's still in love with you! You just have to think of a new way to woo her all over again!'

'Since when did you become so clever?'

'Since I fell in love'

'Taylor's stood next to you, isn't she?'

'Umm...maybe, anyways, got to go. Toodles!'

Troy laughed and put the phone down. Chad was obviously spending too much time with Sharpay as well.

_2 Weeks Later_

Gabriella groaned as she slipped her heels off and sat at her desk in her office. She'd been working non-stop for 10 hours straight in the stupid killer heels she chose to impress her Boss.

He was making an inspection that day and she wanted to look her best and prove she was doing just fine.

As an afterthought she clicked open her emails, rubbing her sore feet as it loaded.

A frown passed over her features as she saw she had a message from Troy.

It read;

_Job Application for the Position of Husband to Gabriella Montez_

_**Pros**_

_**Have loved this girl for 11 years straight, forsaking all others, since the day we met.**_

_**Dated the said girl since we first met.**_

_**We were each other's first sexual lovers.**_

_**I think she's the most amazing, beautiful, intelligent, funny, sexy woman I've ever known.**_

_**She makes me smile when she walks into the room.**_

_**I love her with all my heart.**_

_**Cons**_

_**Have been a complete idiot in the past, and in the recent few weeks.**_

_**Have the tendency to be clueless quite a bit of the time.**_

_**Don't always do as I'm told, i.e. not leaving the bath towels on the bedroom carpet.**_

_**Bought a dog...BIG mistake.**_

_**Lost my heart to a girl I met 11 years ago and have dated ever since, which she still has.**_

_**I'll never be able to love any other girl but her.**_

_Am I a suitable candidate for the job? I love you Gabi, I always will. Please say yes. I can't afford a ring right now, but I've attached what one day I hope to buy you._

_All my love, Troy x_

Gabriella clicked open a new email and responded;

_Troy,_

_Please stop doing this. You missed your chance. We're over. I'm not going to marry you. What we had was great, we had an amazing time together and I love you, but this wouldn't and will never work. I'm sorry. Please leave me be. Maybe one day we can be friends and can move on, but for now, let me just move on._

_Gabriella_

Putting her head in her hands she sobbed. Leaving him was harder than she thought. She loved him. It's hard to move past that. However much she tried to convince herself and everyone else, she knew that you can't just drop an 11 year relationship and move on. But she was going to try her hardest to prove it could happen.

--

Troy's heart dropped when he saw her reply. That was his master plan. They always sent emails to each other during the working day, he was sure she'd say yes. But she didn't.

'She rejected you...again?'

'Yes Chad, but thanks for the reminder'

'How many times have you asked now?'

'I don't know, I think...4?'

'4 times! Maybe you should just give up?'

'I can't! She's my life Chad! I can't just give up on her!'

'What did she say in the email?'

'You missed your chance. We're over. I'm not going to marry you. We had an amazing time together and I love you, I'm sorry. Please leave me be. Maybe one day we can be friends and can move on. That kinda thing_'_

'She said she loves you, not she loved you?'

'I love you and I'm sorry, something like that'

'Dude! She put I love you! Not I _loved_ you. You still have a chance!'

'Chad, you said that last time and it didn't work'

'Please, that was because of a TV. It's hardly the same, she freakin' loves you man!'

Troy grinned and whispered,

'She loves me'

'Damn right she does!'

'What do I do?'

'This time it has to be perfect. Fairytale, like she always wanted. It's gonna take a lot of planning whatever you do'

'What have you got in mind?'

'Nothing. You have to think of this. It's got to come from you'

'I got it. I'll think of something so brilliant she'll be swept off her feet'

'Alright! Umm...'

'Yeah, yeah. You gotta go'

'Toodles!'

'Chad! Stop saying that!'

But he'd gone. Troy shook his head and began to sum up a master plan.

__

_2 months later_

'So you haven't heard from him since that email?'

'Nope. Not a call, not a text, no emails, no letters. Nothing'

'But that's good right, as you don't want to hear from him?' Sharpay questioned, glancing at Taylor.

'Yeah, I just...I didn't expect him to give up that easily'

"Well what did you expect? You told him through email to stay out of your life and stop contacting you? It doesn't mean try harder and work for me!"

'I know that! I just...'

"You just what?"

"I just miss him is all."

"Then fight for him" Sharpay exclaimed.

"No! I deserve better. I'm sorry but if he can give up that easily on us then maybe it's not worth the pain"

"But-"

"Can we just drop it? Please?" Gabriella shouted.

Taylor and Sharpay glanced at one another before nodding their heads meekly.

It was a long road before Gabriella would start forgiving Troy, and there was nothing they could do.

--

'Hello?' Gabriella said into the reciever.

'Gabriella? It's Troy'

'Oh' Gabriella froze, 'Troy'

'Yeah…um, look, can we talk?'

'Actually I'm meant to be going out for lunch, I'm already late'

'Anywhere nice?' he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

'Just a work lunch with my Boss' she responded, hesitantly.

Troy's hopes lifted when he heard the words 'just', 'work' and 'Boss'.

'Ok, um..'

'Was it something important?' she asked edgily. She still thought it was too soon to talk like friends.

'Actually, yeah. Can you meet me tonight?' he asked wistfully.

'I don't know Troy...' she said.

'Please. It's nothing bad, I just want to...apologise, and say a few things. Please?'

The pleading tone in his voice persuaded her.

'Ok. Where abouts?'

'The park? 8:00?'

'8:00? Isn't that a bit late for a quick talk?'

'Um, I guess, but it's really the only time I can make it'

Gabriella rolled her eyes, why didn't that surprise her?

'Sure, whatever. See you then.'

'Oh and Gabs?'

'Yes Troy?'

'I want you to know. I don't wanna pressure you into anything. You don't have to come tonight, but I'd really love it if you could'

There was something about the hopeful, child-like way he said it that made her smile.

'No, I'll come. I understand. Bye Troy'

'Bye Gabi'

The phone clicked when she put the receiver on the hook.

'I love you' he whispered.

--

_7:58pm_

"So you know what you're doing?" Troy asked.

"Yes! You've briefed me twelve times! I know the deal!" Chad said impatiently.

"So are all systems go?"

Chad's face immediately lit up.

"All systems are go!"

"Good work soldier! Now go, go, go! To action stations!"

Chad disappeared and Troy sprinted his way across the perimeter of the park to where Gabriella was waiting.

"Oh so you made it?" she asked, sounding halfway angry.

"Sorry" Troy panted.

"So, what have you got me here for?"

"Can we walk and talk?"

She nodded and delved her hands deep into her pockets.

"I wanted to...apologise, for treating you so badly. You deserved to be treated like a lady, and I disrespected that. I'm sorry" he said.

"And so you should be! No-one should be treated like that Troy! Least of all someone you're supposed to love!" she snapped angrily.

"I know! I'm so completely sorry and I'm terrified you won't accept my apology. I hurt you and it kills me to know that, It really does"

Gabriella smiled softly.

"I know, I know you're sorry. But we can't just go back to how we used to be. It doesn't work like that. We've grown too far apart."

"Not too far apart I hope?" Troy questioned.

Gabriella didn't answer.

They'd reached a big oak tree, carved into the bark were the words, T&G 4EVR. Troy stopped and rubbed his thumb over the words.

"Do you remember when we did this?"

"Yeah, Senior year. In the Spring." Gabriella replied, smiling at the memory.

"You know, they say this tree is magic"

"Magic?" Gabriella snorted.

"No, it is. There's this myth that if you tell it your wish, it will grant it straight away"

"Bullshit!" she exclaimed, grinning.

"Try it!" Troy egged.

Gabriella studied his face before smirking.

"I wish for the new Prada heels I saw at the Mall"

Nothing happened.

"You're not trying hard enough! Wish again!"

"I wish...I wish to be blonde and a famous supermodel!"

Again...nothing happened.

"I guess it doesn't work for you" Troy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Come on," she said, pulling on his arm, "Let's go"

"No wait! I haven't had a go. Maybe it's just you it doesn't grant wishes for"

"If that tree grants your wish I'll...kiss Chad"

Troy smirked.

"I wish...I wish for an engagement ring to woo the girl of my dreams"

Gabriella's smile faltered.

A box dropped from the highest of the branches and fell at Troy's feet, he bent down to pick it up and knelt on his knees.

"Troy..." she began.

"Gabriella. Ever since the first day we met, I've known you were the girl I wanted to marry. These past few weeks I've been a total dip-shit. I've always been ready to marry you, always. And now that the mythical tree has granted my wish...will you do me the greatest honour I could ever think of, and agree to spending the rest of your life with a clumsy idiot, i.e. me? I could think of nothing I want more"

"Troy..."

"Please Gabi, I really, really mean this. I've never hurt so much in my heart as I have when you were gone. I don't want you to leave; I love you with everything I have. We're meant to be Gabs. We're just meant to be."

"Troy...are you sure? You're not just saying it? Marriage is forever, not just a whim. If you mean this, and I mean really mean this...then this is forever"

"Forever and ever" Troy added, holding out the box for her to open.

She gasped as she opened the lid. It was a gorgeous rectangle-cut diamond with a silver band.

"I thought we couldn't afford a ring?"

"Why do you think it took me so long to get here?"

Realisation dawned.

"You sold the Porsche? Your pride and joy?"

"No, I sold the Porsche, but you're my pride and joy"

Gabriella grinned despite the cheesiness and kissed him full on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Troy responded with vigour and they soon pulled away for air.

"So, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she squealed, jumping into his arms.

"I was really worried this was gonna go wrong" he admitted, as they walked away slowly, arm in arm, Gabriella's new ring glittering on her finger.

"How do you mean?"

"I was scared Chad would fall out of the tree and ruin everything"

"So the tree isn't magic and mythical?" she teased.

As if to make the point, there was a loud thump and an,

'Ooft' as Chad did indeed fall out of the tree.

Gabriella laughed.

"Night Chad" she said, giggling.

Chad groaned in response.

"Troy?"

"Fiancee?"

"About the dog?"

"Taken care of"

"What?"

"You don't like dogs and I'm not having my future wife and mother of my children unhappy, so I found him a new owner"

"Who?" she enquired, kissing his arm.

"No-one in particular" he said, smirking.

--

"You really are one heck of a hairy, slobbery dog" Sharpay muttered and lightly kicked the newest addition to her family.


End file.
